Cold Weather Larping

Hey there Mourners! As most of you know, Michigan can get COLD. Our community at DR:MI came together to give you some tips and tricks on cold weather larping so you can stay warm and keep having fun.

First off, we have an easy acronym for you:

C-O-L-D

C- Clean. If you are clean and your clothes are clean (particularly your under layers) you are warm.

O- Overheating. If you are overheating it means you're sweating. It means you are no longer clean and your clothes are no longer clean. You will get cold.

L- Layers. If you're cold, put on extra layers whether it's underneath or overtop of your costume. Adjust to comfort. Try not to put too much on or else you'll go back to Overheating

D- Dry. If your clothes are wet, it doesn't matter how many layers you have on. You will remain cold. Make sure to change out your layers for clean clothes.

Accessories are another great way to stay warm. 

  • You can NEVER have too many socks. Wool socks in particular will keep your feet warm. Costco, REI, and Amazon have a great selection with different price points.

  • Buy a pack of cheap knit gloves. Change them out if they get wet from rain, snow, or sweat. 

  • Make a warm shawl. Go to a craft store and buy 1.5 yards of fleece in a basic color. Wrap around your shoulders and head. Rub some dirt on it and its genre, and for under $20.

  • Many stores like Costco and Joanns will also have blanket shawls this time of year, or go to thrift stores for low price blankets and sheets to make into shawls.

  • A hat of some kind is also important, especially if there’s snow or a cold rain. It will keep your body heat from escaping through your head, keeping you warm.

Other tips from our local community include:

  • Getting hand/foot warmer packets. You can usually get a whole pack from Walmart or a local outdoors store. 

  • Another reason to wear thermals under your kit: if you sweat a lot, you can change them out. Sweat will make you cold (see COLD acronym), and this way you usually don't have to change your entire outfit to get warm.

  • We love genre’d clothing, but your health is more important. Make sure you have good shoes. Make sure you have multiple sets of under layers and don't be afraid to head to the dorms for 10 mins to switch socks or underclothes as needed.

  • Try layering by the following

    • Thermal: Under Armor/similar

    • Fluffy: An insulator, a la thrifted cashmere. Under Armor alone can only go so far.

    • Wind: Wind is the second ultimate chiller. If the wet don't get you, the wind will.

    • Wet: rain is doom. If you are wet you will never be warm. Often things that are wind-breakers are also wet-stoppers, but make sure you have both.

    • Genre: Fancy on top, if you can. If not, do all the others first. 


Special thanks to Brent Cleal, Fox Kaye, Heather Jean, Bradley Bowling, and Bret Hook for their contributions!